Pressure adjustment for cylinders of printing and other machines



Get. 22, 1935. ROBINSON 2,018,282

PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT FOR CYLINDERS 0F PRINTING AND OTHER MACHINES FiledMarch 29, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. T. A. ROBINSON Oct. 22, 1935.

FRESSURE] ADJUSTMENT FOR CYLINDERS OF PRINTING AND OTHER MACHINES FiledMarch 29, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 22, 1935. L. T. A. ROBINSON2,018,282

PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT FOR CYLINDERS OF PRINTING AND OTHER MACHINES FiledMarch 29, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 79 749 53 8 65 95 ,9 fi 1 I49 1 m fi a95 az a 62 as 0 62 90 9/ I k I m 51- I 4 65 59 E81 5 INVZ'NTORZ.ZJ4./?o/x7son ATTORNEY Oct. 22,1935. "r. A. ROBINSON 2,018,232

PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT FOR CYLINDERS OF PRINTING AND OTHER MACHINES FiledMarch 29, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 49 45 Z4 W 21 J M Z1 w Z5 Z3 3 40 Z6i=2 4 5a I!!! H!!! l/VVZWVTOI? Z. ZA/ia/vawr ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 22,1935 PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT FOR CYLINDERS OF PRINTING AND OTHER MACIIINESLeslie Thomas Albert Robinson, Sydenham, England Application March 29,1934, Serial No. 718,060 In Great Britain June 23, 1932 13 Claims.

This invention relates to cylinders and particularly to associatedcylinders which are required to be in contact under pressure applied toone or other of the said cylinders. The invention however is moreparticularly although not exclusively intended for use in connectionwith printing cylinders where it is required say for example that a formcylinder be in contact with a blanket or impression cylinder underconsiderable pressure and the present invention has for its object toprovide simple and efficient means to obtain and apply the desiredpressure between the two cylinders preferably in a printing machine.Theinvention is hereinafter described in its application to a rotaryintaglio photogravure printing machine from which its application ingeneral to cylinders associated together under pressure will be readilyunderstood.'

According to the present invention means are provided for use inassociating cylinders under pressure wherein one cylinder is supportedat each end upon toggle mechanism which is adapted to be operatedmanually or by pressure fluid in order to force the associated cylindersinto contact with the desired pressure and to release the cylinders fromcontact with each other. One 1 cylinder shaft of two superposedcylinders having their axes aligned vertically and intended to besure.'To obtain an adjustable and variable pres,-

. other.

sure use is made of pairs of contra-movable wedges one pair at least ofwhich is adjustable. It is preferred however that both pairs of wedgesbe adjustable in directions at right angles to each As applied to arotary int'aglio'photogravure printing machine the cylinder which issupported upon the toggle mechanism may be the impression or formcylinder. the latter being preferred. The toggle supported cylinder iscarried in bearings supported by blocks having lat-' eral flanges so asto prevent displacement of the said blocks axially of the cylinder andprovided with recessed upper ends to receive and retain an upper pair ofwedges on which the bearing blocks of the associated cylinder aresupported so that the pressure between the two cylinders can be adjustedby manipulation of the upper or a lower set of wedges or both sets ofwedges the pres- 5 sure between the two cylinders being applied by meansof the toggle mechanism. The upper pair of wedges also act to absorb anybumps that may arise due to the passage of the gap in the blanketcylinder over the form cylinder. The blocks or bearings carrying thelower cylinder are provided at their lower ends with cap-like platesadapted to retain the upper ends of the upper toggle bars or links inposition, the said links. being pivotally supported behind the cap-likeplates. The lower ends of the upper toggle links or bars are supportedon pivots against which abut shorter toggle links and the lower ends ofthese latter are supported on pivots carried by blocks slidable andadjustable in recesses in the frame of the machine. The joints ofthetoggle links or bars are gapped and. of segmentalform and closed bycover plates or linkswhich are connected by links to a cross shaft. Thefree ends of the aforesaid cover plates or links are pivotally connectedto bell crank levers pivotally supported at the apical angles on theaforesaid cross shaft'which is mounted and supported in the frame of themachine. The aforesaid bell crank levers may be in the form of handlevers or in the form of obliquely angled levers having the free endsconnected to the piston rods .of pressure air cylinders so that thetoggle mechanism or toggle mechanisms may be operated by hand or bypressure air or liquid to apply the pressure to the cylinders. In thearrangement where pressure air is used each pressure air cylinder ispro! vided with a cook the barrel of which is provided with threeopenings or' holes and the plug of the cock is provided with three armsone of the 40 I said armshaving a hole or an opening therethrough. Thecock plug is extended upwardly or rigidly secured to a rod extendingupwardly to a level above the ground suitable for manipulation by anattendant. To thefree end that is to say the upper end of the aforesaidrod a handle .is secured which can be moved into a -neutral position,that is to say a position where the pressure air is cut off from thecylinder and from thence to an "of!" position or from the 50 position isthat in which air is admitted into the actuate the toggle mechacylinderin order to nism. Further features of the toggle mechanism arehereinafter described and claimed.

, In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into efiect reference is made to the accompanying drawings whichshow diagrammatically and by way of example means in accordance with thepresentinvention for use in the application of pressure to associatedcylinders. w I

The illustrations hereinafter described show the application of theinvention to the cylinders of a single unit of a rotary photogravureprinting machine from which the nature of its application to associatedcylinders in general will be readily understood. I

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one of a. pair of stands or uprightssuch as are used in a rotary photogravure printing machine the saidstands or uprights being adapted to support two associated cylinders andmeans for applying pressure therebetween. I v

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 looking in the direction of thearrow A.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan showing means foractuating a pluralityof toggle mechanisms as applied to a four color rotary photogravureprinting machine. The machine may be built for printing in two or morecolors.

Figure 4 is .a sectional plan of the quadrants disposed at the stands inFigure 2 and showing the on off and neutral positions of handles movableover these quadrants.

Figure 5 drawn to an enlarged scale is a half elevation and half sectionof the toggle mechanism on which each end of the form cylinder issupported.

Figure 6 drawn to an enlarged scale is a central section taken at rightangles .to Figure 5 of the toggle mechanism per se.'

Figure '1 is a sectional plan showing a fluid pressure device for use inactuating the toggle mechanism.

Figure 8 is a detail view hereinafter described. Referring to Figures 1and 2 which show the application of the invention to a rotaryphotogravure printing machine is an impression or blanket cylinder and 2is a form cylinder. The cylinder 2 is preferably of the type which issplit longitudinally into at least two segments which carry a flexibleform sheet the ends of which extend inwardly of and between the twosegments assembly of the segments being adapted to tension the formsheet into its proper ,position. It should be clearly understood howeverthat any other suitable type of form cylinder may be used.

. 3 indicates the shaft of the impression or blanket cylinder and 4indicates the shaft of the form cylinder. The bearings which carry theshaft 3 of the impression or blanket cylinder I are sup ported on andform stationary abutments for wedges 5, 6 which are adjustable inposition by hand wheels 1, 8. 9, ID are the hearings or blocks whichcarry the form cylinder shaft 4. The blocks 9, In which are disposed inslots l2 in stands or uprights I3, |4 disposed one on each side of themachine are connected to toggle mechanism hereinafter described. Theblocks are held in place in the slots ll, l2 by flanges l5, H5 in orderto prevent displacement of the'said blocks axially of the cylinder. Theblocks- 3, I!) may be 'the operation of the toggle bar 2|.

,are formed in the The GE to the planes of the stands or uprights l3,l4. 5

The bearing blocks of the associated cylinder namely the blanketcylinder I are supported on the upper surfaces of the wedges 5, 6.Contact between the cylinders I and 2 can be adjusted by manipulation ofthe wedges 5, 6 by the hand wheels 1, 8 or by adjusting either wedge bythe respective hand wheel. The blocks 9, l0 carrying the form cylinder 2or bearers carrying the said blocks have secured thereto caplike platesl1, l8. As all the toggle mechanisms are alike :1- description of onetoggle mechanism-is considered suflicient for the purpose of the presentspecification. The toggle mechanisms on which each end of. the formcylinder is supported each comprises bars 2|, 23' seemore particularlyFig- 20 ures 1, 5 and 6 which are disposed behind cover plates or links2|, 23. Each toggle bar 2| is pivotally fulcrumed at its upper end as atI3 and at its lower end as at 25, 20 and 24 being the correspondingpivotal fulcrums on the opposite side 25 of the machine. The upper endof the toggle bar 23 is fulcrumed on the pin 25 and the lower end of thetoggle bar 23' is fulcrumed on a pin 26. The fulcrumpin l9 extendsthrough the cap like plates l1, I8 and the bearing on the upper end of30 the toggle bar 2| is of arcuate or approximately semi-circular formas shown more particularly in Figure 5. Each cover plate or link 2| isforked at its upper end as at 21, Figure 5, to facilitate The lower 5end of the toggle bar 2| has a segmental bearing as at 28 Figure 5 whichis of arcuate form. The upper end of each toggle bar 23' is V shaped toform an arcuate V shaped bearing having outwardly diverging sides as at29 and 30. The low- 0 er end of the toggle bar 23' has a segmentalbearing as at 3]. The fulcrum pin 25 is movable in the direction of thearrow B Figures 1 and 5 when breaking the toggle joint. The lowerhearing for the pin 26 is of V shaped arcuate form as 5 at 32 havingoutwardly and downwardly diverging sides 33, 34 and is provided in ablock 31 supported on a wedge 38. Toggle mechanism comprising bars suchas 2| and 23 and cover plates or links 2|, 23 are disposed in the slotsor'openings |2 in each stand l3, l4 and at opposite sides of themachine. The faces 23 and 33 at the toggle joints 25 and 26 respectivelymay form stops with the adjacent faces on the ends of the bars 2|, 23'in order to limit the movement of u the toggle bars when breaking thetoggle joints to relieve -the contact pressure of one cylinder againstthe other. The lower bearings 32, 32' blocks 31 supported on the wedges38 and 38' which are to the respective supporting blocks, the blocks 31being held in place in slots 39, Figure 5, in the stands or uprights l3,l4 by caps or plates 40. 42 Figure l are plates which hold the wedges 38in position.v The bearings 32, 32' at each stand 65 and-on oppositesides of the machine are closed l4 as at 55 Figure 1 7islidablerelatively w The shaft of each bell crank lever 52 may be operated by abell crank hand lever 56 (shown dotted in Figure 1) so that the togglemechanism may be operated by hand. The wedges 38, 38' are-adjustableindependently or simultaneously by means of a rod I03 and hand wheelsI04, I05. The rod I03 is screw threaded at one end and passes through asleeve I06 screw threaded into one wedge 38. The'screw threads I01, I08on the rod I03 and the sleeve I06 respectively are of the same pitch andthe hand wheel I05 is rigidly secured io the sleeve I06 whilst the handwheel I04 is rigidly secured to the rod I03. Between the hand wheelsI04, I05 is arranged a clutch which may. be of any suitable type oneconvenient type being that in which the adjacent faces IIO, III of theclutch members are serrated. On the rod I03 and outwardly of the handwheel I04 is disposed a spring II2 so as to maintain the members III],III of the clutch in engagement. It will be obvious that the hand wheelI04 can be retracted against the pressure of the spring II2 so as torotate the rod I 03 independently of the sleeve I06 to effect adjustmentof the wedge 38. The spring II2 however can be omitted if desired. Bydisengaging the clutch members I I 0, III and rotating the hand wheelI05 the wedge-38' can be adjusted independently of the wedge 38. Byengaging the clutch members IIO, III and rotating either hand wheel I00,I05 the two wedges 38, 38 can beadjusted simultaneously.

Conveniently however each bell crank lever 52 which is pivotallysupported at its apical angle as at 55 in the standards I3, and I4 ispivotally connected as at 51, 58 by a link 59 to a piston rod 60connected to a piston 6I (Figure 7) in a fluid pressure cylinder 62. 63and 64 are air inlets or outle s for spent fluid from the cylinder 62.65 is a cock the barrel 66 of which is provided with three openings 61,68, 69 or holes and the plug of the cock is provided with three arms I0,II, I2, one I2 of the arms having an exhaust hole 13 therethrough. Thecock'plug is extended upwardly or is rigidly secured to a rod I4 whichextends to a suitable level above the ground floor level I5. To theupper end of the rod I4 is rigidly secured a hand lever 16 which ismovable over a quadrantal member 11 from a neutral position I8 Figure 4to an on position I9 and to an oif position 80. In he neutral positionthe pressure fluid is cut off from the cylinder 62. In the off positionpressure fluid is admitted to the cylinder to release the togglemechanism, whereas in the on position pressure fluid is admitted to thecylinder to apply the toggle mechan sm. It will be readily understoodtherefore that by restoring the hand lever I6 to the neutral position,the toggle mechanism may be left in the position to which it was lastadjusted. It is preferred that the valve of the fluid pressure applyingdevice be always moved from a neutral position to an on position andthen back to the neutral position, or from a neutral position to an offposition and then back to the neutra position. i

If desired the plug of the cock may be connected by a lever M to a link82 which may in turn be connected by a lever 83 to a rod 83 similar tothe rod I0 on the other side of the machine, the rod 83 being providedat its upper end with a hand lever 84 similar to the hand lever I6. Thehand lever 8 may be movable over a quadrant 85 Figure 2 imilar to thequadrant H but disposed on the other side of the machine. Such nected bycross rods 82 to levers 83'.

an arrangement allows of the toggle mechanism being operated either bythe hand lever 56 of which there may be two one on each side of themachine, or one of the hand levers I6 '0! 84 may be used to operate thecock and such movement 5 may be transmitted to the rod I4 on the otherside of the machine through the connecting link 82.

In order to effect the independent adjustment of the toggle mechanism asdistinct from the si- 1 multaneous operation of all the togglemechanisms the sleeve or tube 99 Figure 8 is provided at its lower endwith an enlarged part 99' Figure 8 having a recess I00. The rod I4 whichextends through the enlarged part 99' of the tube 15 99 or sleeve isprovided with a pin IOI' which engages in the recess I00 so that therodI4 can be moved by the handle 84 and thus acfuate the cross rod 82without imparting movement to the sleeve or tube 99. Conversely when anyone tube 2 99 is operated by a handle such as I00 there is a certainamount of idle motion before the movement of the said tube istransmitted through rods 94 and the cross rods at 82 to all the togglemechanisms at the several stands.

In the application of the invention for example to a four color rotaryphotogravure printing machine provided with four pairs of stands 86, 81,88, 89, 90, 9|, 92, 93 Figure 3 (there may however be any number ofstands) 30 a pressure air cylinder such as 62 may be provided at eachstand of each pair of stands on opposite sides of the machine. In suchan arrangement the cocks on one side of the machine would be coupled upto a plurality of rods 14. 5 These latter rods in turn would beconnected to the short levers 8I which in turn are con- The levers 83'are connected to the upright rods 83. Surrounding the rods 83 aresleeves such as 99 see 40 more particularly Figures 1, 2 and 8 the saidsleeves being connected at their lower ends by lever arms such as 95' torods 94 adjustably connected by couplings throughout the whole length ofthe machine and disposed only on one side thereof as shown in Figure 3.Itwill be seen from Figure 3 therefore that there is a rod I4 and handleI6 at each stand at one side of the machine and a rod 83 and handle 84at each stand on the other side of the machine. It will 50 also beunderstood that each rod 83' on one side of the machine is surrounded bya tube 99 at each stand. Such an arrangement provides for operation ofthe toggle mechanism simultaneously from either side or each side of thema- 55 chine. It will be obvious also that pressure can be applied toall the toggle mechanisms simultaneously or to any desired togglemechanism. Further the toggle mechanism at each stand or at any onestand can be actuated from either 60 side or each side of the machine.It will be appreciated also that there are two hand levers at each standand on one side of the machine and one hand lever at each stand on theother side of the machine. It will be obvious from 65 the foregoing thatpressure air can be admitted to any cylinder or all of the cylinders-inorder to actuate the toggle mechanisms on each side of any one standfrom either side or from each side of the machine whilst at each standand on 7 one side of the machine the toggle mechanisms of all the standscan be actuated by the hand lever 56 or its duplicate at any otherstand. If desired the longitudinally extending connecting rods 94 on oneside of the machine may be dupli- 76 control the operation of the togglemechanism .cylinder, means to connect the operating ele- 'and meanswhereby the members at that particular s tand irrespective of which sideof the said stand at which he is standing. Further he can when inposition at any one stand simultaneously operate the cock on thepressure cylinder at one side of that particular stand and by so doingcontrol or operate the cooks on the other sides of the said stands, andconsequently he can thus simultaneously control the actuation of thetoggle mechanisms and the application of pressure to all the cylindersirrespective oi. the number of stands. Obviously there may be two,three, four, five or any desired number of pairs of stands all coupledup in the manner as hereinbefore described so that the toggle mechanismat each stand can be actuated at that particular stand or if desired thetoggle mechanisms of two or more stands irrespective of their number canbe actuated simultaneously from any one stand.

What I claim is:-

l. Means for varying the relation between associated cylinders of aprinting machine, including toggle mechanism arranged at each end of onecylinder of the associated cylinders, upper and lower fulcrums for eachtoggle mechanism,

a wedge to adjust the lower fulcrum of each 1 toggle mechanism, a membercooperable with each wedge to independently adjust the wedges,

may be coupled for simultaneous movement to\effect simultaneousadjustment of the wedges.

2. Means to control the relative positions of cooperable cylinders inplural sets of a printing machine, said means including toggle mechanismat each end of and for supporting one cylinder of each'set, an operatingelement for each toggle mechanism, means to connect the operatingelements of the toggle mechanisms of each ments of the toggle mechanismsof all cylinders, and means to control actuation of the operatingelements to selectively operate the toggle mechanisms of one set ofcylinders or the toggle mechanisms of all sets of cylinders.

3. Means to control the relative positions of cooperable cylinders inplural sets of a printing machine, said means including toggle mechanismat each end of and for supporting one cylinder of each set, operatingmeans for the toggle mechanisms for the cylinders of each set, a controlfor said operating means adjacent each toggle mechanism of all sets,a'cross rod connecting the controls tor the operating means of thetoggle mechanisms of one cylinder, rods connecting the controls ofsimilar toggle mechanisms of all cylinders, and means to selectively andsimultaneously operate the controls'for the operating means of thetoggle mechanisms of one cylinder or the controls for the operatingmeans of the toggle mechanisms of all cylinders.

4. Means to control the relative positions of cooperable cylinders in aprinting machine having a=plurality of printing couples, said meansincluding toggle mechanism at each end of and 1 for. supporting onecylinder ofeach set, fluid pressure means to actuate each togglemechanism, a valve to control the fluid pressure means, means to actuateeach valve, a cross rod conders.

necting both valve operating means, and a manually operable membercooperating with each valve operating means, whereby the togglemechanisms of a cylinder may be simultaneously controlled. throughoperation of either manually 6 ing means, a manually operable membercooper- 16 able with each valve operating means, whereby the togglemechanisms of a cylinder may be simultaneously controlled throughoperation of either manually operable member, rods connecting the valveoperating means of similar toggle 20 mechanisms of all cylinders, andselectively operable means whereby the manually operable members of allvalves may be simultaneously and similarly operated at will.

6. In a means for controlling the relative posi- '25 tions of cooperablecylinders of a printing machine, toggle mechanism arranged at each endof and for controllingthe position of one of said cylinders, means toindependently adjust each toggle mechanism, means to couple the inde- 30simultaneously and similarly operate the toggle mechanism. 35

'7. A construction as defined in claim 6, wherein the controlling meansincludes a pressure responsive device to operate each toggle mecha-.nism; a valve to control each pressure responsive device, a mechanicalconnection to compel si- 40 multaneous operation of the valves, and amanually operable means for each valve. Y

8. In combination with cooperable printing machine cylinders,togglemechanisms tosupport one cylinder, meansoperable by fluid pressure46 to align the toggle mechanisms with the cylinder in a presetposition. a i

9. In combi ation with cooperable printing machine cylin rs, togglemechanisms to support one cylinder, means operable by fluid pressure toalign the toggle mechanisms with the cylinder in a.preset position, andmeans manually adjustable to alter the preset position of the cylinder.I

10. In combination with cooperable printing machine cylinders, togglemechanisms to move one cylinder into a preset position relatively to theother cylinder, means adjustable at'right angles to the axis of the saidcylinder to limit the movement of the said cylinder into a preset 60position and to maintain the cylinder in the Y preset position, andmeans adjustable in a direction parallel to the axis of the cylinder tovary the distance between the associated cylin- A 65 11. In combinationwith cooperable printing machine cylinders, toggle mechanisms to moveone cylinder into a preset position, adjustable 12. In a printingmachine, a plurality of printing couples, toggle mechanisms to supportone cylinder of each, printing couple, toggle mechanisms operable byfluid pressure to support the II- said cylinder and to move the lattercylinder into a preset position relatively to its associated cylinder,and means disposed at one side of the machine to actuate all the togglemechanisms.

13. In a. rotary printing machine, a form cylinder, an impressioncylinder associated therewith, toggle mechanisms disposed at each end ofthe form cylinder and operable by fluid pressure positively in oppositedirections to move' the form cylinder into a preset position, and meansto vary the preset position of the form cylinder.

LESLIE THOMAS ALBERT ROBINSON.

